leading question

[ lee-ding ]
See synonyms for leading question on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a question so worded as to suggest the proper or desired answer.

Origin of leading question

1
First recorded in 1815–25

Words Nearby leading question

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use leading question in a sentence

  • What induced you to put such a leading question to the woman, assuming the boy was at home and in bed?

    Trevlyn Hold | Mrs. Henry Wood
  • She had not intended to propound this leading question so quickly, but it came out as a natural climax to the situation.

    Jennie Gerhardt | Theodore Dreiser
  • The constitutional amendment, the state of the country, and the condition of commerce makes this the leading question of the day.

  • The chief merit of the leading question lies in the fact that it paves the way for the answer.

    Principles of Teaching | Adam S. Bennion
  • The challenging question and the leading question are closely enough allied that we may well discuss them together.

    Principles of Teaching | Adam S. Bennion

British Dictionary definitions for leading question

leading question

/ (ˈliːdɪŋ) /


noun
  1. a question phrased in a manner that tends to suggest the desired answer, such as What do you think of the horrible effects of pollution?

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for leading question

leading question

An unfair question that is designed to guide the respondent: “You were drunk the night of the accident, weren't you, Mr. Norris?”

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Other Idioms and Phrases with leading question

leading question

A question worded so as to elicit particular information or a particular answer, as in When are you selling the business? This example assumes that the person is going to sell the business, an action that may not have been established or revealed. This expression originated with a specific meaning in law, that is, “a question that guides a witness toward a desired answer.” In court, this practice is called leading a witness and is forbidden. [Mid-1800s]

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.